


Watching through a veil.

by Kaesteranya



Series: Like Two Sides of the Same Coin [5]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-04
Updated: 2011-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-15 09:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/159426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaesteranya/pseuds/Kaesteranya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Putting a whole new meaning to watching one's back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watching through a veil.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is taken from the 31 Days theme for December 28, 2007.

Oddly, it is the sight of Roy Mustang’s back that Hughes is most familiar with. The Flame Alchemist was always on the front lines during the Ishval Campaign, and since Hughes was almost always behind a barricade or down with the radio operators in the army outposts, finding Roy was simply a matter of looking for the place with the most smoke and fire and screaming. Roy was always the tiny silhouette in uniform standing in front of the blaze, arm outstretched, hand poised, fingers ready to send more people straight to Hell with an innocent little snap.

 

Even when they were _off_ the field, Roy always looked like he was running away from something. Hughes would pin it on his horrible timing, except that even when he happens to spot Roy from a distance the younger man’s moving like he isn’t part of the hustle and bustle all around him, like he was above human problems and maybe – just maybe – human feelings.

 

That Hughes is also familiar with the way Roy looks in bed, however, completely naked and sweaty and pale and trembling beneath him, disproves that idea rather efficiently. He always used to take the alchemist from behind when they fucked, because it was less about intimacy and more about Hughes giving Roy what he needed, or maybe Roy allowing Hughes to see the full extent of the damage the war’s done to him, in burns and battle scars.

 

The end of the campaign meant Hughes coming home to his girl and that meant the end of Them, and after that, Roy’s back was pretty much the only thing Hughes ever saw. Roy made it a point never to talk to Hughes for very long and Hughes let him, because whenever they tried to talk the way they used to it always led back to the maybes and the impossibilities and besides, it was never pleasant, seeing the way the light in the Flame Alchemist’s eyes went a little dull and a little sad at the mere mention of Gracia Hughes.

 

Sometimes, though, Hughes isn’t sure what’s better: seeing heartache in a look or watching Roy walk away from him, over and over again.


End file.
